Adoption Application Letter

Potential Adopter,

Thank you for considering one of our dogs for adoption. At Shep’s Place, we feel that the ideal environment for a dog is to live in a home with a loving, responsible family. If a senior dog can’t find a home, we try to provide the next best thing: a comfortable, homey place with caring volunteers. But if we can find a dog their own home and family, that’s even better.

Promoting adoptions is not our primary goal, however. Rather, our main concern and duty is to ensure the well-being of the dogs. We invest a lot of time and effort into our dogs, and come to care for them deeply. We are happy to find them adoptive homes, but only if we are certain that it will not negatively impact their quality of life.

For that reason, we will only consider releasing a dog for adoption if we’re confident they’ll be going to a home where they will be well cared for, both physically and emotionally. Anything less would be a betrayal of our responsibility to the dog. To decide, we’ll have to gather information about the dog’s potential home. We’ll have to ask questions, and make a home visit.

Please
understand, it is not our desire to be intrusive. We realize home
visits can be intimidating, because it feels like someone is coming to judge you. That is not what this is about. We just need to know that
our dog is going to a safe, welcoming, supportive home. It doesn’t
have to be a fancy home, or a rich one, or a spotless one; we don’t
expect perfection. Dogs can be happy in all sorts of homes, with all sorts of folks.

However, there are places that would not be a good fit for a particular dog, so we do occasionally decline applications. Believe me, it’s nothing personal. Some senior dogs don’t get along well with children, or pets, or prolonged absence, or stairs, or they may require specialized care, or any number of things. If we don’t think a dog is a good fit for your place, that doesn’t mean we think you’re a bad person, or that another dog wouldn’t thrive there. It just means we feel that specific dog would do better in a different environment. And though we hate to disappoint someone who has been gracious enough to apply, we do have to consider the dog’s welfare above all else.

That being said, let us hope that everything goes well, and you have taken the first step toward becoming a Senior Dog Parent! Here’s what to expect from here.

We will review your application, and reply in a timely manner.

We will call or email to set up a Meet & Greet with the dog or dogs you are interested in.

If the Meet & Greet goes well, we will call or email to schedule a Home Visit. The Home Visit should take about 30 minutes.

If the Home Visit goes well, your application will be considered by the Adoption Committee.

If both parties wish to move forward with the adoption, there will be a 2-week trial foster period, after which the final decision will be made.

Thank you again for stepping up to help our senior dogs. We sincerely hope you can give one of our wonderful old guys or gals a home and family to call their own.